Google is investing in mobile payments startup Corduro through Google Ventures. It looks like its site has just gone up, and is still pretty much a placeholder with a lot of dummy text. But it appears that Corduro is a mobile payments platform for small businesses and organizations that want to accept credit card payments on the go for events, retail goods, and donations. The service offers everything from electronic checks and bill pay to recurring payment support.
Mobile phones and tablets are becoming payment terminals for merchants already with apps like Square on the IPad. If Corduro can help make Android devices more merchant-friendly, the investment could help Google strategically.
The investment was just announced at Google Ventures press briefing in Mountain View. The amount of the investment was not disclosed.